E3: Hands-on with The Beatles Rock Band

To say that the MTV Games booth was extravagant is an understatement. The company had one of the fanciest set-ups on the E3 show floor with a facade constructed to look like replicaAbbey Road Studio. Groups would line up on Abbey Road and enter a replica of the place.

Once inside, I was in a large theater with a stage and three monitors. The setting was intimate as team members from Harmonix played three songs from The Beatles’ catalogue: “I Saw Her Standing There,” “Day Tripper” and “Back in the USSR.”

The tunes showed some of the newer features including two- and three-part harmonies. Players aren’t assigned a vocal line, so they can jump back and forth among them, but it helps having another person singing along and covering those bases because they can earn “double fab” and “triple fab” bonuses for singing in unison. Of course, all this singing will need multiple microphones. Thankfully, the Limited Edition Bundle comes with a mic (if you didn’t already have one) and better yet — a microphone stand.

The game itself comes with 45 songs on the disc and all of them will be unlocked in quick play. It’s a smart move on Harmonix’s part considering the audience. I’ve actually heard Beatles fans buying video game consoles just to play this game, and I’m sure those folks aren’t exactly hard-core players. They’re people who probably want to get in the game, play their favorite songs and enjoy the music.

The Beatles’ later studio work presented challenges for Harmonix. The visuals of just presenting the band in a room was too staid. They needed to enliven in it a bit and that’s where the team came up with Dreamscapes that are almost music video-like transporting the band to imaginary places straight out of the band’s albums and other project. It all gets pretty crazy quick.

Actually, playing the game isn’t any different from any other Rock Band title. The thing that separates this Rock Band title from its predecessors is its specific content and those nice, nice instruments.

I rocked out on Gretsch Duo Jet, and it’s a big guitar (Well, in terms of fake plastic ones). It’s almost the size of the real thing, and because of its size, it feels heavier than other Rock Band instruments. And by the way, if you’re wondering, yes, the game will be compatible with other video game guitars, including ones associated with rival music game …

As for the drums, they feel exactly like the previous Rock Band though they come with cymbals and a coat of swanky paint. Some of the finer extars are The Beatles logo on the front, different colored drum pads and a gorgeous kick pedal. If you look closesly at the image below, you can see The Beatles imagery embossed in it. It almost makes you feel bad that you’re foot is going to be slamming into the thing.

Quite frankly, I’ve never been a huge Beatles fan. On my iPod, I have maybe one or two songs. But in that weird way that music-rhythm games do, Harmonix’s upcoming title introduced me to music I wouldn’t normally listen to, and I realized that I liked it. During my time at the booth, The Beatles’ music seeped its way in my head. I learned to like “Back in the USSR” and I’ve watched music videos of “I Saw Her Standing There” at least a dozen times.

I guess you can say I’m infected with a little Beatlemania, and I can’t wait for The Beatles Rock Band to come out Sept. 9.